The present invention relates to the field of brace systems and, in particular, to an inflatable ankle brace system that is easily and controllably inflated and deflated.
Inflatable ankle braces have been used for many years in the management of certain injuries to the lower extremities. These braces, commonly referred to as air casts, are typically utilized after immobilization of the extremity by a molded plastic or resin cast has stabilized the injury to a point where some weight may be placed upon the extremity.
Air casts typically include substantially rigid right and left outer shell members that are joined at the bottom by a flexible stirrup and shaped to fit a patient""s ankle. The inside surfaces of these shell members are typically padded in selected areas and include some means for attaching an inner air cell or bladder. These air cells or bladders may include one or more compartments that may be inflated by the patient, or may be factory inflated. In addition, some such air casts include one or more compartments filled with a cushioning gel and/or multiple layers of open cell foam to provide additional padding.
Inflatable air casts have traditionally been inflated via a manual inflation tube that extends into the air bladder and is pressurized by the patient in a manner similar to the inflation of a balloon. Once pressurized, the tube is removed and the end sealed to prevent the escape of air. This inflation system is relatively inexpensive and provides for adequate inflation in many instances. However, it is not without its drawbacks. For example, patients having reduced lung capacity, due to age, respiratory disease or the like, may not be able to provide sufficient pressure into the tube to adequately inflate the bladder. In addition, air may escape during withdrawal of the tube, further reducing the pressure within the bladder. Also, the use of a tube does not allow for selective addition removal of air to reduce pressure in the event that the bladder has been under-pressurized or over-pressurized. Finally, the tubes used to inflate the bladders in these systems are not readily adapted to being transported in a patient""s pocket and, therefore, are not likely to be taken with the patient outside of the patient""s home.
Therefore, there is a need for an inflatable cast system that includes a means of inflation and deflation that allows people with reduced respiratory capacity to adequately inflate the air bladder, allows the bladder to be selectively inflated and deflated, and is easily transported with the patient.
The present invention is an inflatable brace system for immobilizing a lower extremity of a human. In its most basic form, the system includes a pair of outer shell members shaped to conform to the lateral and medial sides of the lower extremity, respectively. A base member having a pair of oppositely extending hinge portions are inserted through transverse slots proximal to the lower edges of shell members and are fastened to the shell members. Thus attached, the base member forms a substantially U-shaped stirrup member adapted to be fitted about the lower extremity with the heel of the foot resting upon the base member and the opposed shell members forming a pair of upwardly extending sidewall portions adapted to be flexed into confronting engagement with corresponding opposed side portions of the lower extremity. The upstanding sidewalls of the shell members are maintained in position relative to the lower extremity by a plurality of elongated, circumferentially extending, longitudinally spaced, flexible fastening straps. A pair of inflatable air bags are attached to inside surfaces of the shell members. The air bags include at least one chamber and a valve that is sealed along one edge of the air bag. The valve is adapted to allow the chamber to be automatically sealed once the brace is attached to the extremity of the user. A unidirectional air pump is provided to allow the chamber of the air bag to be selectively inflated and deflated. The air pump includes an inflation orifice and a deflation orifice that are each dimensioned to be inserted within a top portion of the valve. A bulb portion of the pump causes air to be drawn in through the deflation orifice and out through the inflation orifice when squeezed.
In operation, the inflation orifice of the pump is inserted within the top portion of the valve and the bulb is squeeze in order to inflate the air bag before the patient attaches the brace about his lower extremity. The user will then adjust the pressure in the air bag by inserting the inflation orifice or deflation orifice of the pump into the top portion of the valve and squeezing the bulb until the desired pressure is achieved.
In the preferred embodiment of the system, a cushioning member is inserted with in the chamber prior to sealing. The preferred cushioning member is a sheet of open cell foam that extends substantially across the entire interior of the chamber. However, in other embodiments, the cushioning member is a gel pack that is placed in a lower portion of the chamber. In still other embodiments, the cushioning member includes a combination of a gel pack and an open cell foam that are selectively disposed within the chamber.
Therefore, it is an aspect of the invention to provide an inflatable cast system that includes a means of inflation and deflation that allows people with reduced respiratory capacity to adequately inflate the air bladder.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide an inflatable cast system that includes a means of inflation and deflation that allows the bladder to be selectively inflated. and deflated.
It is a still further aspect of the invention to provide an inflatable cast system that includes a means of inflation and deflation that is relatively inexpensive.
It is a still further aspect of the invention to provide an inflatable cast system that includes a means of inflation and deflation that is easily transported by a patient.
These aspects of the invention are not meant to be exclusive and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art when read in conjunction with the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings.